A typical bicycle headset assembly, such as a headset assembly 10 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, is designed to minimize the degree of ‘slack’ or ‘play’ (i.e. the amount of movement) between the components thereof. Headset assembly 10 provides a rotatable interface between a bicycle fork 20 and a head tube 60 of a bicycle frame. Fork 20 has a fork steerer tube 30 coupled at an end 32 to a crown 40. Headset assembly 10 includes a lower bearing 50, an upper bearing 70, and a stem 80. As best seen in FIG. 2, to assemble headset assembly 10, steerer tube 30 of fork 20 is guided through an aperture defined by each of lower bearing 50, head tube 60, upper bearing 70, and stem 80, in that order, such that the apertures are concentrically aligned. To optimize the slack between each of components 20, 50, 60, 70, and 80, headset assembly 10 also includes a top cap 90, a star-fangled nut 92, and a screw 91. Nut 92 is pressed inside steerer tube 30 at an end 34 and is configured so that nut 92 cannot be pulled out of steerer tube 30 through end 34. To remove nut 92 from steerer tube 30, nut 92 must be forced through the entire length of steerer tube 30 and out an aperture 36 defined by crown 40 adjacent end 32. Top cap 90 includes an aperture 93 for receiving screw 91. To remove the slack between the components of headset assembly 10, top cap 90 is positioned on a top surface 82 of stem 80. Headset assembly 10 may include one or more spacers 94 to optimize the axial length of headset assembly 10 to user preferences. For example, headset assembly 10 includes a spacer 94 positioned between top cap 90 and stem 80. Screw 91 is inserted through aperture 93 and then threadedly engaged with a threaded aperture 95 defined by nut 92. As screw 91 is threaded into aperture 95, top cap 90 provides an axial force on top surface 82 of stem 80 and ‘loads’ bearings 50 and 70. In this way, the slack in headset assembly 10 is minimized for use.
Headset assembly 10 is difficult to adjust in the field where the tools that a typical biker carries while riding are limited. Further, many bikers opt out of carrying many tools or any tools at all. To avoid carrying tools in a backpack or on the biker, some bikers will mount tools to their bikes (for example, to the bike frame). This compromises the aesthetics of the bike and exposes the mounted tools to dirt, debris, and damage. Further, bike tools that are mounted to a bike are susceptible to falling off the bike when a biker is riding and can be easily lost.
FIGS. 3 and 4 show a headset assembly 100 available from Cannondale™. Like headset assembly 10, headset assembly 100 provides a rotatable interface between a bicycle fork 120 and a head tube 160 of a bicycle frame. In contrast with conventional dual-armed forks (such as fork 20), fork 120 only has a single arm 125 to suspend a biker and insulate the biker from the roughness of the terrain that the biker is riding on. Fork 120 further includes a lower clamp 122 and an upper clamp 124. Headset assembly 100 includes single-arm fork 120 and stem 180. Stem 180 includes a steerer tube 130 integrally formed therewith (i.e. steerer tube 130 and stem 180 are fabricated as one-piece). As best seen in FIG. 4, to assemble headset assembly 100, head tube 160 is positioned between bearings 150 and 170, which are then positioned between clamps 122 and 124 of fork 120 so that the apertures defined by each of clamps 122 and 124, bearings 150 and 170, and head tube 160 are concentrically aligned. Steerer tube 130 is then passed through upper clamp 124, upper bearing 170, head tube 160, lower bearing 150, and lower clamp 122, in that order. To reduce slack in headset assembly 100, an internal surface 135 of a lower end 132 of steerer tube 130 is threaded with threads 136. Threads 136 are threadedly engageable with a bottom cap 190 to remove slack. Bottom cap 190 includes a tubular portion 191 having an upper end 194, a lower end 192, and an axial passageway 193 extending therethrough. Lower end 192 has an annular flange 195 extending readially outwardly from portion 191. Flange 195 has an abutment surface 195a. An external surface 191a of tubular portion 191 is threaded with thread 196. Bottom cap 190 is inserted through lower clamp 122 of fork 120 and threadedly engaged with steerer tube 130 of stem 180. As threads 136 of steerer tube 130 are threadedly engaged with threads 196 of bottom cap 190, abutment surface 195a provides an axial force on lower clamp 122 and ‘loads’ bearings 150 and 170. In this way, the slack in headset assembly 100 is minimized for use.
Once headset assembly 100 is loaded for use, a tool 110 can be inserted into an aperture 182 defined by stem 180. In this way, tool 110 can be carried by a biker on a bicycle and can be quickly and easily accessed when needed. However, tool 110 is only operable with specialized stem 180. Since other conventional headset assemblies (for example, headset assembly 10) employ a star-fangled nut and bolt to optimize slack, these headset assemblies lack internal space to accommodate tool 110. Accordingly, tool 110 has limited application.
U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,093,844, 7,341,269, and 7,396,032, owned by Shimano Corp., describe bicycle headset assemblies for mounting a steerer tube of a front fork to a head tube of a bicycle frame. The bicycle headset assembliess are configured such that a specified device can be mounted in the steerer tube and the headset assembly appropriately loaded using a tubular member. A bicycle headset assembly 200 according to an example embodiment is shown in FIG. 5. Headset assembly 200 provides a rotatable interface between a front suspension fork 220 and a bicycle frame head tube 260. Headset assembly 200 is configured and arranged to contract in an axial direction on a steerer tube 230 of fork 220 to apply an axial force to bearings 250 and 270 and to secure steerer tube 230 within head tube 260. Since fork 220 is disclosed to preferably be an electronically controlled suspension fork that includes an electric dampening device that changes the dampening characteristics of the fork, the device that is mounted in tubular member 290 of headset assembly 200 is limited to devices for controlling fork 220, such as an electronic suspension controller, a mechanic suspension controller, an electrical switch, or a cycle computer with a display. When mounted inside headset assembly 200, device 290 extends partially into an upper portion of steerer tube 230.
Headset assembly 200 includes a tubular member 290 to optimize slack. Tubular member 290 has a tubular section 291 having an outer peripheral surface 291a with a set of external threads 296 for threadedly engaging a set of internal threads 236 of steerer tube 230. When headset assembly 200 is assembled and loaded, as shown in FIG. 5, internal threads 236 of steerer tube 230 extend downwardly away from an annular flange 295 of tubular member 290. Threads 236 extend downwardly beyond stem 280. Threads 236 mechanically weaken steerer tube 230 which poses safety risks to bikers. Having reduced structural integrity, steerer tube 230 is prone to breaking under stress or load. To reduce risk, a thicker steerer tube must be used to compensate for the structural weakness introduced by extensive threading. Since steerer tubes are typically made of a rigid, metallic material, using a thicker steerer tube adds weight to a bicycle and increases manufacturing costs.
In addition to tools for adjusting or repairing a bicycle and the components thereof, most bikers will carry a manual bicycle pump while riding in the event of a leaking or flat tire. A typical bicycle pump functions via a hand-operated piston. During an up-stroke, the piston draws external air through a one-way valve into a pump body. During a down-stroke, the piston displaces the air in the pump body into a bicycle tire. In relatively recent years, bikers have opted to ride mountain bikes having higher volume tube and tire set-ups Since more air is needed to inflate such tubes than lesser volume set-ups, considerable time and energy can be spent to inflate a leaking or flat tube. To save time and energy, many bikers opt to carry or mount a larger volume pump to their bike.
Manual bicycle pumps for storing compressed gas cartridges are known. Such pumps require a user to disassemble the pump to access the cartridge. This renders the pump inoperable until reassembled and exposes the internal components of the pump to dirt and debris. Such exposure can contaminate the pump and render it inoperable. Bicycle pumps for storing other small items, such as tube patches, are known. Such items are typically stored in the pump handle where space is limited. Manual bicycle pumps for storing pump hoses are also known. For example, bicycle pumps for storing pump hoses are sold commercially by Lezyne™. Such pumps include a pump body, a handle, and a pump head. The handle and the pump head are disposed at opposite ends of the pump body. The pump body houses a piston rod and a piston. The piston rod is connected at a first end to the handle for pump actuation and at a second end opposed to the first end to the piston. Such pumps are hand-actuated as is conventionally known by pumping the handle to actuate the piston inside the pump body to draw air into and displace air from the pump body via a one-way valve. The Lezyne™ pumps are inoperable in the absence of a separate hose. The hose includes two connecting ends. A first connecting end is coupleable to a valve of a bicycle tire to be inflated. A second connecting end is coupleable to the pump head for delivering air from the pump body to the tire. The piston rod of such pumps defines a hollow receiving portion for housing the hose. To mount the hose inside the receiving portion, an internal surface of the receiving portion adjacent the handle is threaded and an external surface of a connecting end of the hose is threaded. The hose is installed into the pump by inserting the hose into the receiving portion and screwing the threaded connecting end into the receiving portion. Such pumps include plugs for sealing the pump head and the hose mounted inside the receiving portion when the pump is not in use. These plugs can become easily lost. For example, these plugs are easily dislodged from the pump head and/or the hose when the pump is mounted to a bicycle and the bicycle is in use. Without these plugs, the pump head and the hose would be exposed to dirt and debris which compromise the performance of the pump. Further, when the hose is attached to the pump head, the receiving portion is exposed to dirt and debris. When the hose is later inserted into a contaminated receiving portion, the hose can also become contaminated with dirt and debris impacting the proper function of the pump.
There is a general desire to store a variety of tools and/or personal items on a bicycle and/or in a bicycle pump such that space that is typically not used is utilized and the tools/personal items are easily accessed and/or are not vulnerable to dirt, debris, or damage when the bike is in use.
The foregoing examples of the related art and limitations related thereto are intended to be illustrative and not exclusive. Other limitations of the related art will become apparent to those of skill in the art upon a reading of the specification and a study of the drawings.